Valve mechanism



Jan. 8; 1935. J. LE VALLEY 1,986,831

VALVE MECHANISM Filed March 19, 1932 Ti); 52??? E Z BY 3 Z a. 2 j

HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1935 PATENT OFFICE VALVE MECHANISM John Le Valley, Painted Post, N. Y., assignor to Ingersoll -Rand Company, Jersey City, N. L, a corporat on of New Jersey Application March 19, 1932, Serial No. 599,945

2 Claims. This invention'relates to valve mechanism, but more particularly to valve mechanisms for compressors and the like employed for controlling the admission and discharge of the working sub- 5 stance into and from the compressor cylinder.

One object of the invention is to simplify the construction and minimize the cost of maintenance of devices of this character.

' Other objects willbe in part obviousand in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention and a portion of a compressor to which the valve mechanism is applied, and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve member taken through Figure 1 on the line 2-2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

' the valve mechanism which is designated in general by A is illustrated as being applied to a compressor B of which only so much is shown as will serve to illustrate the invention and a practical application thereof.

The compressor B comprises a cylinder C wherein is arranged a reciprocatory piston D "which may be actuated in any suitable manner for compressing the working substance in the cylinder C.

The valve mechanism A comprises a pair of plates E and F between which is interposed a spacer G. The plate E, which is the innermost plate and serves as a valve seat, is disposed directly upon the end of the cylinder C for which it acts as a head. In the portion of the plate E which lies directly over the end of the piston chamber H are inlet and discharge ports J and K respectively through which the working substance enters and leaves the piston chamber H.

In the cylinder 0 and theplate E and adjacent the inlet port J is an inlet passage L which communicates with the inlet port J through a passage O in the spacer G. Likewise, in that portion of the cylinder C and the plate E adjacent the discharge port K is a discharge pasage P which is connected with the discharge port K by a passage Q in the spacer G. v

. Interposed between the spacer G and the plate E- is a member in the form of a plate R of'thin flexible material which is securely clamped in the correct assembled position, as are also the plates E and F and the spacer G, by means of bolts S which may be threadedly connected, in a (Cl. 2'l7-61) well known manner, to the cylinder C. The plate R. is provided with a pair of integral fingers T and U of which the free ends V, in this instance, extend in the same general direction and upon opening extend into the passages O and Q, respectively.

In the assembled position of the plate R the finger T lies over the inlet passage L to control the flow of working substance from the inlet passage L to the inlet port J, and the finger U lies across the port K which it controls. The fingers T and U lie in recesses W in the plate R and the recesses W are preferably of the same conformation as the passages O and Q in the spacer In shape the elements which comprise the valve mechanism such as the plates E, F, the spacer G and the plate R, are substantially like that of the portion of the cylinder C upon which these members are disposed. In the present instance these elements each have a pair of opposed curved end surfaces X which are described from a common axis, and the sides Y of the plates and the spacer are flat parallel surfaces of equal length.

The recesses W and the free ends of the fingers T and U are preferably arranged midway between the fiat surface Y. Owing to this arrangement either sideof the plate B. may be initially seated upon the plate E or, in the even of undue wear on one side of the fingers, the plate R may be inverted to provide a new sealing surface for the respective ports which the fingers control.

I claim:

1. Valve mechanism for compressors and the like, comprising a plate, a valve seat having inlet and discharge passages, a member seated on the valve seat and having fingers moving in the same direction to open the inlet and discharge passages, and a spacer between the member and the plate to clamp the member to the valve seat and having recesses to accommodate all the fingers upon movement thereof for opening the passages.

2. Valve mechanism for compressors and the like, comprising a plate, a valve seat having a plurality of pairs of passages, a member seated on the valve seat having fingers moving in the same direction to open one passage of each pair, and a spacer between the member and the plate having recesses to afiord communication between the passages of each pair and to accommodate all the fingers upon movement thereof for opening the passages.

JOHN LE VALLEY. 

